The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-26
AFTER NINE YEARS.
Arrest of Two Men Charged With
q Bank Officers Murder.


Bank Officers Murder.
Nine years ago J. W. Barron, President Of
Savings Bank at Dexter, Me-, was found in
the banks vault bound and gagged and suf-
fering from several wounds. He died in few
hours afterward without giving any clue to
his assailents. Two men have just been ar
rested charged as principals in the crime.
The story Of their capture is told by the New
York World, and reads like romance;
through the influence of a young
man named Charles F. Stain, who declares
that his father was the leader in the attempt
to rob the bank. The young man further t,
asaa assaf' apon sP B Barron was Rn R that fsa s
of his father has prevented him until
now from telling the story Of the terrible
crime. The World says OF the crime and
the arrests which have followed after nine
years:
The murder of J. w. Barron, Treasurer of
the National Pink and State Savings Bank,
of Dexter, Me-, nine years ago.. created ma.
tional sensation unequaed by any. trag-
of President Garfield The brutal cir
cumstances and the utter mystery of the
crime, the mute and pathetic testimony Of
fidelity to trust given by the speechiess
and dying mans wounds, the escape Of
the murderers, leaving not trace Of their
presence in or escape from the little town
profoundly moved the whole country. Tele-
grams cf coincidence and offers Of assistance
from all parts of the land poured in upon the
widow, and the project of a memorial church
in Dexter was at once suggested and success
fully put in operation.
Then, after some months had passed. the
country was again startled by a theory of
suicide, started in the first instance by detec-
tives and apparently given credence by
the bank officers Barron, it ap-
peared, had made some unfortunate invest
mcnts of the banks r2oney. He took out
forthwith life insurance policy covering
the amount. and it was the sap;ent idea of the
detectives mortified perhaps by their failure
to detect the murderers, that the Treas
urer, fearing the odium following the
discovery of his bad Judgment, killed
himself in such manner as would indicate
murder and so would not invalidate his in
surance policy Thus an act of what seemed
scrupulous regard for personal and business
honor was converted into an Indictment of
the man.
officers to the extent that they entered suit
against the widow-a suit that was never
tried-and the act brought about a
revulsion of feeling elsewhere. Con-
tributions to the memorial stopped.
The poor woman and even her little child
were subjected to taunts and ohloquy and
the widow was compelled to endure lonely
and bitter ostracism. She never doubted her
husbands innocence steadfastly she has
sought for means to set it clearly before all
men, and now, by the aid Of the World, the
murder of her husband by banded gang Of
scoundrels is, to all appearances, about to be
judicially proved.
Some weeks ago the World was informed
that young man in Maine had made state
ments which, if verified, would convict the
murderers. There appeared to be an ut
ter lack of effort either to verify his state
ments or to take any steps whatever to ar
rest the alleged criminals There was daily
the chance that they would hear of the con-
fession and mako off. The World sant q
trustworthy representative to inquire into
the facts. He succeeded in bringing Charles
Franklin Stain, confessed accomplice with
his father, to New York, where his full state
ment was taken. With it the World
representative returned to Maine, consulted
with the officers, was made Deputy Sheriff,
and assisted at Franklin, Mass, in the arrest
of David Stain-a criminal of such unspeak
able record that its full, atrocious horror can
not be given in these columns-and his al
legged accomplice (Oiver CromwelD in the
murder of faithful John Barron.